How to Use Swim Drills to Improve IM Form

The Individual Medley (IM) challenges swimmers to master four strokes — butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle — in a single race. To perform well, it's not just about being decent in each stroke, but being efficient, smooth, and technically sound through every phase of the IM.

One of the most effective ways to build this kind of consistency is through stroke-specific and transition-focused swim drills. In this article, we’ll break down how to use drills to improve IM form, stroke by stroke, and help you swim smarter and faster from start to finish.

🧠 Why Drills Matter in IM Training

Drills isolate specific elements of a stroke or transition, allowing swimmers to:

• Fix technical flaws

• Build muscle memory

• Improve stroke timing and transitions

• Develop endurance without compromising form

Drill work makes your form more reliable under fatigue, which is essential in IM events.

🏊‍♂️ Stroke-by-Stroke Drill Guide for IM Form

🦋 Butterfly Drills

1. Single-Arm Butterfly Drill

• Swim butterfly using only one arm while the other rests at your side.

• Helps build rhythm and reduce fatigue, especially for beginners.✅ Focus: Timing and body undulation.

2. Body Wave Drill with Fins

• Perform dolphin kicks while arms remain extended forward.

• Enhances core engagement and body motion.✅ Focus: Smooth, fluid undulation.

🔄 Transition: Butterfly to Backstroke

3. Butterfly-Backstroke Combo Drill

• Swim 3 strokes of butterfly, then 3 strokes of backstroke, repeat.

• Practice quick, legal transition with strong push-off and smooth rotation.✅ Focus: Turn timing and flow between strokes.

🔁 Backstroke Drills

4. Single-Arm Backstroke Drill

• Isolates one arm at a time to refine catch and rotation.✅ Focus: Arm path and body rotation.

5. 3-3-3 Drill (3 Right Arm, 3 Left Arm, 3 Full Stroke)

• Encourages rhythm, symmetry, and smooth transitions.✅ Focus: Stroke balance and tempo.

🔄 Transition: Backstroke to Breaststroke

6. Back-to-Breast Crossover Drill

• Swim backstroke into breaststroke using legal IM turn technique.

• Practice rotating onto the stomach and initiating breaststroke pull.✅ Focus: Turn mechanics and fast transitions.

🐸 Breaststroke Drills

7. Pull-Kick-Glide Drill

• Isolate each phase of the breaststroke: pull, kick, then glide for 2–3 seconds.✅ Focus: Stroke timing and rhythm.

8. Single-Leg Kick Drill

• Alternate legs every 25m using one leg at a time.✅ Focus: Kick symmetry and leg strength.

🔄 Transition: Breaststroke to Freestyle

9. Breast-Free Switch Drill

• Swim 3 strokes breaststroke, 3 strokes freestyle.

• Emphasize strong push-off and smooth breakout.✅ Focus: Speed into freestyle and quick transition.

🏁 Freestyle Drills

10. Catch-Up Drill

• One hand waits at full extension until the other hand completes the stroke.✅ Focus: Stroke timing and body position.

11. Fingertip Drag Drill

• Lightly drag fingertips on the surface during the recovery.✅ Focus: High elbow recovery and smooth rhythm.

🧩 Putting It All Together: IM Drill Sets

Here’s how to structure your training week to target IM improvement:

🗓️ Sample IM Drill Set (2,000m Total)

Warm-Up (400m)

• 2x100 IM swim

• 4x50 drill/swim (25 drill + 25 full stroke)

Main Set (1,200m)

• 4x50 Butterfly Drills (Single-arm / Body wave)

• 4x50 Backstroke Drills (3-3-3 / Single-arm)

• 4x50 Breaststroke Drills (Pull-kick-glide / Single-leg)

• 4x50 Freestyle Drills (Catch-up / Fingertip drag)

Transition Practice (200m)

• 4x50: Practice stroke transitions with legal IM turns

Cool Down (200m)

• Easy IM swim, 25 per stroke

🧠 Pro Tips for IM Drill Success

• ✅ Use fins, snorkels, or paddles as needed to focus on specific mechanics

• ✅ Film your drills occasionally to track progress and identify flaws

• ✅ Focus on quality over speed during drill sets

• ✅ Don’t skip transition drills — they often decide the race

• ✅ Vary drill intensity and duration depending on your race distance and goals

🏁 Final Thoughts

Improving your IM form isn’t just about grinding out laps — it’s about smart, focused technique work. By using drills strategically, you can sharpen your mechanics, improve stroke transitions, and swim more efficiently through all four strokes.

With time, your IM will feel less like four separate swims and more like one powerful, connected race.